Mullin at double to seal first round tie

WREXHAM will head to League Two newcomers Harrogate in the FA Cup first round after a muchimproved display saw them past Marine 2-0 at the second time of asking.

Two Paul Mullin goals were enough for the Dragons to win the fourth qualifying round replay at Nantwich after needing a lastminute equaliser in the first match.

It was a display which earned the praise of manager Phil Parkinson, who said: “I thought it was a very professional performance from us tonight.

“I’m very pleased to get the two goals and the clean sheet, but it was the manner of the display as well.

“We made a few changes, the lads who came in did really well and gave us a nice freshness.

“We thought long and hard about it, from the minute the final whistle went all the way through to training on Monday morning, and we decided to make the changes.

“I felt it worked and caught them a bit cold which is always good when you change it and it is not expected.

“We have worked on the back four in training and we have flipped to that in a couple of games.

“But equally, when you only have one training session to really go over the detail of it, I thought the lads implemented it really well.

“They took on board what we asked of them and I am obviously pleased.”

The opening goal almost came after 14 minutes as Dior Angus fed through Liam McAlinden whose pullback was inches away from finding Mullin at the far stick.

After 21 minutes, Mullin did get his chance. The forward broke down the left before cutting inside and gliding a wonderful effort into the bottom-right corner to give Wrexham the advantage.

Marine tried to respond, but Niall Kengi could only blast over in the box and David Raven couldn’t get a clean connection following a corner.

The second half began in perfect fashion for Wrexham, as Mullin was sent through one on one before rounding the goalkeeper and doubling the lead.

Moments later he almost completed a hat-trick, with an effort cleared off the line with Wrexham looking to kill the tie.

Shaun Brisley almost had a debut goal as he put a header inches wide, while Mullin was denied again when his effort from 30 yards just went over the cross bar.

Wrexham now go to Harrogate’s EnviroVent Stadium on November 6.